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SUMMERTIME ON AN ISLAND? With pretty beaches and nifty boating excursions and animal-amazing inland adventures and all sorts of locally fabulous things to see? C'mon... You know it'll bustle, as summertime can in such a splendid location. But splendid locations have a way of keeping the magic intact, even after some of the bustle de-bustles come the cooler season, and when packages rev up, to offer deals to wintertime travelers? Oh goodness: Hello beach, hello water, hello animals, hello adventure. There's plenty of "hello"-ing to do 'round Catalina Island, throughout the calendar, and even the winter months see their share of biggish bashes and community events in Avalon. But there are deals to be had, too, including the "Best of Winter" packages found through...

CATALINA EXPRESS: The very name of the company that has famously and swiftly ferried people to Catalina Island from the mainland (and back again) should reveal that your round-trip boat ride is included in the package. As is a hotel stay, at a number of great inns, including the Casa Marquita, the Catalina Island Inn, Pavilion Hotel, and Hermosa Hotel, with each hotel offering something a bit different (yep, the Pavilion sports a build-your-own omelet bar, which means you can protein-up before a day of hiking the island's celebrated hills). There are 16 hotels to choose from, as part of the "Best of Winter" deal, and you've got all of winter, and even a week of spring, to go.

MARCH 28, 2019... is when the "Best of Winter" melts away into a fresh new season, so plan your island sojourn now, while the bustle is low but the beauty, as ever, is as high as the Casino Building is tall, or a buffalo is furry, or a glass-bottom boat ride is glorious.